Equipped to Lead and Succeed

Marketing Director Furthers Self Through Sport Management Program

Had it not been for an old friend who graduated from the Sport Management program, there is a good chance Ernest Baskerville ’17 would not be enrolled in it today. He first read about the program in a newspaper story on alumna Nakia Hill and was intrigued by what it had to offer.

Baskerville entered the program in Summer 2015 with over twenty years of experience working for The Cochran Firm and the John Wooden Award, where he now serves as the Director of Sports Marketing. Although he has already established himself as an industry professional, he said he is eager to learn more about sport management and build relationships with current and future industry leaders.  

Being a part of this program has introduced me to people that inspire me to continuously strive for my career goals.

Baskerville highlighted two important factors when noting what makes this program the right one for him: its passionate and accessible faculty and the way the course curriculum ties together.

“The faculty really tries to help us and are very accessible,” Baskerville said. “They all do their own thing in the professional world, which is good. You always want to learn from those who aren’t just knowledgeable about the book, but from experience as well. They can give you real life scenarios.”

From the program’s first course on leadership and critical thinking to his current course on business development and sales, Baskerville said each class is relatable and goes hand-in-hand with its counterparts.

“All of our classes have a domino effect on each other. You can use the surveys in Dr. Nola Agha’s research methods class for marketing.”

Baskerville added that the program has even empowered him at work by providing him with a comprehensive understanding of sport management.

“Every class has given me a different outlook for when I interact with people or encounter certain situations. It gives me different perspectives on how to look at my next intern or the next person I hire.”

The Sport Management program has campuses in San Francisco and Orange County.